Rondeau Bird Report – Sunday May 18, 2008
Good morning birders. The warbler highlight for this weekend has been Cerulean Warblers. Today, I found a first year male during the 7:30 am bird hike on Bennett Road. Yesterday, a female was seen at the maintenance loop. Other good warblers yesterday included a Yellow-breasted Chat at the Pony Barn, Orange-crowned at 2 sites and a Prothonotary singing on Gardiner Ave. west of the Visitor Centre. Both Philadelphia and White-eyed Vireo were seen today at the Pony Barn. Yesterday, there was an Acadian Flycatcher at the same location. The best birding trails this morning were Bennett Road, Tulip Tree Trail and the Pony Barn. In the Rondeau area, shorebirds were reported yesterday from several nearby locations. The government dock at Erieau had Ruddy Turnstone, Black-bellied Plover and Sanderling. Near McGeachy Pond, there were Lesser Golden-Plover, Ruddy Turnstone and 100’s of Black-bellied Plovers as well as 100’s of Dunlins in the onion fields. At Bates Pond, tallies included 63 Dunlin, 19 Short-billed Dowitchers, 1 Least Sandpiper, and 1 Lesser Yellowlegs. Good birding. Steve LaForest Friends of Rondeau Bird Guide c/o Rondeau Visitor Centre (519) 674-1768 I will lead a guided bird hike twice daily May 3 to 19 (fee $5), as follows: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday 7:30 am & 1 pm; Tuesday & Thursday 7:30 am & 7 pm; Friday 7:30 am. All of the 7:30 am and 1 pm hikes listed above will meet at the Visitor Centre. The 7 pm hikes will meet at the entrance to the Marsh Trail. A second hike on Friday at 1 pm will meet at the Blenheim Sewage Lagoons. The Friends of Rondeau will provide a birders' brunch for a small donation (coffee, tea, bagels, soups & treats) daily from 7 - 11 am. Directions: To reach Rondeau PP, take exit 101 from Highway 401 and drive South 16 km on Chatham Kent Road 15. Follow the signs to the park. The Bird Sightings Book, Bird Sightings Board and other relevant information are located at the Visitor Centre (open 7 am to 5 p m from May 3 - 19). To reach the Centre from the park gate, travel 6 km South on Rondeau Road to Gardiner Ave. and follow it around the bend to the parking lot. For the shorebird site near Erieau: from the entrance to Rondeau PP, drive north ~1 km to Kent Bridge Road (Chatham-Kent 15), turn left and go 4.8 km to Talbot Trail (Chatham-Kent Road 3, formerly called Hwy 3), turn left and go 15.9 km (through several twists and turns, and through Blenheim) to Erieau Road (Chatham-Kent Road 12), turn left and go ~7 km to McGeachy Pond C.A. The birds were seen in the fields in this vicinity. For Erieau - from McGeachy Pond C.A. (see above), continue southeast on Erieau Road (Chatham-Kent 12) into the town of Erieau and follow the signs to the government dock. A large number of gulls, including many Bonaparte’s Gulls, are visible here. Shorebirds may be seen on the docks, on the shore or flying by. For Bates Pond at Kent Bridge Road and Rondeau Road - from the park gate, drive ~1 km north to Kent Bridge Road. The pond is on the northeast corner of this intersection. Please take care to park safely, as this is a busy road with very narrow shoulders. _________________________________________________________________ If you like crossword puzzles, then you'll love Flexicon, a game which combines four overlapping crossword puzzles into one! http://g.msn.ca/ca55/208_______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
